Protecting Our Canyonlands

Thinking beyond the boundaries of Canyonlands National Park

Southeastern Utah's canyonlands, with their deep canyons, otherworldly hoodoos, and swift rivers, have captured the imagination of millions of visitors from all over the world. But only the smallest core at the heart of this remarkable country is protected as Canyonlands National Park. We are working to protect the Bears Ears Cultural Landscape, the 1.9 million acres of outstanding public lands south and east of this core that are threatened by oil and gas development, potash, uranium, and tar sands mining, and irresponsible off-road vehicle use.

Take Action - Our Canyonlands Trailer

Justin Clifton

Greater Canyonlands - Take Action Sidebar

We are capturing stories of the Bears Ears Cultural Landscape with Our Canyon Lands film series and bringing them to the screen, big and small. Working with a coalition of artists, filmmakers, photographers and story tellers, the tales of this landscape are coming to life in ways never before told – with the intent of permanently protecting the Bears Ears Cultural Landscape.

Greater Canyonlands - Protecting Greater Canyonlands

Stephanie Smith

Protecting more of Canyonlands

First envisioned by the Department of Interior in 1936 as part of a 4.5 million acre reserve, a small 257,000 acre Canyonlands National Park area was designated by Congress in 1964. In 1971, the park was enlarged slightly in size to 337,598 acres and has not grown since.

Greater Canyonlands - Public Lands in the Greater Canyonlands Region

Tim Peterson

Tim Peterson

Tim Peterson

Tim Peterson

Tim Peterson and Eco Flight

Tim Peterson

Tim Peterson

Tim Peterson

Tim Peterson

Tim Peterson

Tim Peterson

"Wherever we look, there is a wilderness of rocks, deep gorges where the rivers are lost below cliffs and towers and pinnacles, and 10,000 strangely carved forms in every direction, and beyond them, mountains blending with the clouds"- John Wesley Powell, on his expedition in the Canyonlands

Greater Canyonlands - A stunning yet unprotected landscape

Bill Rau

Bill Rau

Tim Peterson

Justin Clifton

A stunning yet unprotected landscape

Originally drawn under political pressure from developers, the straight-line boundaries of Canyonlands National Park and Natural Bridges National Monument make little sense in terms of holistic management. Many important landscapes were left out of the parks, and their viewsheds are threatened by mineral development and irresponsible off-roading.

A wealth of cultural resources

Home to more than 100,000 cultural and historic sites, the Bears Ears Cultural Landscape holds the history of thousands of years of human habitation on the land. We can protect these cultural resources for generations to come.

Greater Canyonlands - Threats to Greater Canyonlands

Stephanie Smith

Threats to the landscape

Local politics still have a strong impact here, and the oil and gas and other extractive industries are actively fighting the protection of these public lands.

Greater Canyonlands - Our Role

Our Role

By creating a new Bears Ears National Monument that expands protection around the national park, we can halt the threats of short-sighted energy development, maintain valuable wildlife habitat and preserve water quality for the 40 million people living downstream. We firmly support the Bears Ears Intertribal Coalition’s Bears Ears cultural landscape campaign.

Our Solutions Title

Our Solutions

Greater Canyonlands - Our Solution

Realize the original vision

We have the chance to establish a world-class monument in the heart of redrock country, which would provide ecological and economic benefits for Americans for generations to come.

Get our government involved

Help us to set aside one of the last large roadless areas remaining in the lower 48. Urge President Obama to protect this vast and globally significant region for the ages.